[Sports] Recreational games using a ball [Play]
Here are a variety of ball-based recreational activities.
We’ve gathered ball games that can be enjoyed by everyone—from children to seniors!
From sports aiming for the pinnacle at the Olympics or World Cup to simple time-killers, the variety of sports and games that use a “ball” is practically limitless.
Many people love ball games regardless of age or gender!
If you’re looking for “ball-based activities everyone can play together,” be sure to use this as a reference.
You might even use these games as inspiration to invent your own original new ball sport!
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[Sports] Recreational ball games [Play] (31–40)
Dodgeball tag
Ball Tag with a Throw is a high-energy indoor game that’s hugely popular in after-school programs.
The rules are simple: the “it” player chases with a ball and tries to tag the others by hitting them with it.
Despite its simplicity, the speed and thrill make it incredibly exciting! Whoever gets hit by the ball becomes the next “it,” so the game keeps changing rapidly and never gets boring.
Using a soft ball makes it safe for indoor play.
In smaller spaces, you can adjust by setting boundaries or requiring shorter strides.
It’s a perfect game to bring out lots of energy and create a lively, fun time.
Go ball
This is a game called “Go Ball” that you can easily enjoy using items you have at home.
Prepare balls and sticks made by crumpling newspaper into a sphere and wrapping it with tape, plus a sheet of paper with a grid drawn on it to serve as a Go board.
Tape the grid paper to the floor, then use the stick to hit the paper ball from a distance and try to land it inside a grid square.
A state where a single ball is in a square or several balls are in squares is called an “eye,” and connected eyes are called a “chain,” with points awarded for both eyes and chains.
The team that makes more eyes wins, but if no eyes are made, the winner is decided by total points.
Giant beach ball breaking
Instead of using a regular-sized beach ball you often see, play “Beach Ball Smashing” with a giant beach ball.
Since a beach ball doesn’t actually break, it’s fine as long as you can hit the ball with a stick, like in a watermelon-smashing game.
Using a beach ball with a watermelon pattern adds to the vibe and makes it even more fun! The rules are the same as the watermelon game.
Do the dizzy-bat style spin about 10 times with the stick, then, while blindfolded, face the direction where the beach ball is.
People around should help by telling the player where the ball is.
Once you reach the ball, it’s a success if you give the beach ball a solid tap with the stick!
slack out
How about trying Slack Out, a game where you can have fun moving your whole body? In Slack Out, panels numbered from 1 to 9 are set into a frame, and you throw a ball at them.
The appeal is that you’re not just being active—you also get to think about which spot to aim for.
You can compete to see how many targets you hit, so it’s likely to be a hit when playing with friends.
By the way, you can even make a Slack Out set out of cardboard.
Once you make it, you can reuse it in the following years, which is really convenient.
Dribble Relay
A relay where you bounce the ball like a basketball dribble.
As you can see, being fast on your feet isn’t enough—ball-handling is the key to winning.
Why not choose this event for your company sports day?
[Sports] Recreational Games Using a Ball [Play] (41–50)
Ping-pong ball toss game
A ball game using ping-pong balls that you can play while seated: the “Ping-Pong Ball Toss.” Aim for a paper cup or similar container and toss the ping-pong ball—anyone can play easily.
Because both the target and the ball are small, it’s trickier than it looks! If you write point values on the cups, it’s easier to decide the winner.
Placing the cups on a table lets you enjoy the game while seated, making it easy for older adults to try.
Don’t just throw directly—see if you can discover different tips as you play, like skillfully bouncing the ball before it lands in the cup!
Heddis
This is a new sport conceived in 2006 by René Wegner, who was then a university student in Germany.
Players face off across a ping-pong table, using only headers to return a special ball—in other words, “header ping-pong.” The rules are almost the same as table tennis, and as long as you have a standard table tennis table and the dedicated ball, you can start right away.
Its simplicity, combined with the dynamic, full-body movement required to return the ball, has made it popular, and in recent years the number of players has been growing across European countries.
It’s a sport anyone can join, regardless of age, gender, or athletic ability!
